Foldable service board



Nov. 27, 1928.

E. W. CUMMINGS FOLDABLE SERVICE BOARD Filed June 1'7, 1925 y gzafiaGummy Patented Nov. 27, 19 28.

UNITED STATES 1,692,930 PATENT OFFICE.

EARLE W. CUMMINGS, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOSANTA BARBARA LUMBER COMPANY, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, A .COR-

PORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

FOLDABLE SERVICE BOARD,

Application filed June 17, 1925. Serial No. 37,704.

This invention relates to built in kitchen furniture adapted. forfolding up between the studding of the wall when not in use,particularly such items as tables, chairs, or ironing boards, the chiefdifference between the'three itemsmentioned being the size or shape ofthe horizontal or service board and its distance from the floor.

The object of the invention is to provide a service board of thecharacter mentioned which will be more rigid than thepresent boards whenextended or unfolded, which will in the case of a seat be provided witha rigid back brought out from thew all automatically upon unfolding theseat, also in such a seat the provision of a space for a cushion betweenthe back and seat when folded within the wall space, also in such adevice the provision of means preventing the abrading of the finishedsurfaces through the act of folding the article, and finally asimplification of the members insuring the device freedom from gettingout of order.

In" the drawings hereto my preferred construction is shown, Figure 1being an elevation of the extended or unfolded board projecting from itscabinet, the latter being shown in vertical section, Figure 2 a brokenfragment of one upper corner of the folding back as seen from within thecabinet looking out,'Figure 3 a similar view-of thelower corner of'thefolding strut in relation to the cabinet frame, and Figure 4 is adetached view of one of the spring hinges 20 of Figure 1.

In further detaill represents thestudding of a building wall, 2 theplaster, 3 my cabinet frame set within the studding space and having acasing 4 on the forward side overlapping the plaster.

The frame proper 3 is rectangular, the bottom piece being denoted by thenumeral 3' and the sides by the numeral 3 and transversely extendingacross the opening formed by the frame is a piece 5 positioned somewhatbelow the center of the frame.

Hinged to this transverse partition 5 by a hinge or hinges 6 is theservice board proper7.

This board 7 may, as'suggested, be of any shape or size, but is hererepresented as a seat and it is shown when extended as forming slightlyless than a right angle with the vertical portion of the frame 4 abovethe seat.

The slight angular arrangement is desir- 1 able when the board is usedas a seat tho when used as a table it is not desirable, but thisfeatureis controlled by the length of the strut or brace 8 whichsupports the board, it being merely necessary to have this of the properlength to produce either a perfectly level or slightly angular board asdesired.

The strut 8 preferably takesthe form of a panelled frame with the panelindicated at 8' and it is hinged at 9 preferably by a piano hinge to asmaller panelled frame 10 whose panel is indicated at 10, whilethesmaller frame is permanently secured to the under side of the serviceboard 7. The service board is adapted to fold up on its plvotal point 6to nicely fit within the frame while preferably projecti'ng'slightlybeyond the casing 4 thereof as indicated by the dotted line of foldedposition 11 and is thus retained by a suitable latch 12 operated by theknob 13 engaging the latch plate 14.

The strut 8 supports the shelf or service board when unfolded by itslower edge engaging a groove 15 out along the rear edge of the lowerframe member 3 and when in this position it should be noted that theforward or finished side of the panelled strut board is free of contactwith the lower trans- *ted guides oneon each vertical frame member.

3 as indicated at 16 each of which is engaged by a trunnion bracket 17secured to the upper side of the strut board.

These trunnions do not take the weight of the table, that being caredfor by the lower end of the strut in groove 15 as described, but thetrunnions and slot insure the proper upward and outward travel of thelower end of the strutin folding the device yet maintaining theclearance mentioned, the folded position of the lower end beingindicated by the dotted position 18.

When the board or seat 7 is brought down ,into horizontal extension itdraws out into position aback rest 19 hinged at 20 at its lower end to across brace 21 secured across the top of the board 7. v

The hinges 20 are spring hinges with. their spring tension exerted toforce the upper end of the panel19 forwardly as indicated by the smallarrow just above the hinge, and the upper end of the panel 19 is guidedin its forward movement by a pair of grooved plates 22 one secured flushto each side wall 3 of the frame and engaged each by a trunnion bracket23 (similar to the trunnion brackets 17) secured at opposite ends of atransverse brace 24 in turn secured across the back of the panel 19.

The slots or grooves in the plates 22 are formed substantially asindicated so that in unfolding the boardTthe spring hinges first throwthe panel 19 forwardly in the groove, then as the-board 7 is lowered itdraws the panel downwardly and seats the trunnions 23 snugly in thedownwardly extending terminals. 25 of the groove.

The mounting of the panel 19 on the cross brace or clea-t 21 provides aspace between the panel 19 andseat/Z'for a cushion as dotted at 26 andwhich cushion if used is held snugly between the panel 19 and board 7when the device is folded to the dotted position. with the trunnion 23forced to the rear end of the groove" in plate 22'.

- The extreme rear of the frame is usually closed by a panel 27 nailedto the frame so as to presenta finished article ready for insertion in awall.

I. claim: i

v 1. In a wall recess cupboard having front and rear walls and a bottom,a service board hinged to the cupboard to fold vertically within thesameand to outfold downwardly to substantially horizontal extensiontherefrom, a panel strut hinged to the underside of the outfolded boardextending angularly therefrom into the lower part of the cupboard freeof the front wall of the cupboard and resting at its lower edgeagainst'an abutment formed on the bottom of the cabinet.

2. In a device of the character described a cupboard forming frameadapted for insertion vertically in awall, a service board hinged at oneend to fold vertically within the cupboard and to unfold downwardly tosubstantially horizontal position, a panel strut 3. In a deviceofthecharacter described, a. cupboard forming frame adapted forinsertion vertically in a wall and including an outer casing therefor, aservice board hinged at one end to fold vertically within the cupboardand to unfold downwardly to substantially horizontal position, apanel.strut hinged to the under side ofthe unfolded board and extendingangularly therefrom into bracing position within the lower part of thecupboard and a guide adapted to positively guide the lower end of thepanel strut from such a bracing position to a position substantiallyflush with the outer face of the cupboard frame upon folding said boardwithinthe cupboard. and said guide being further adapted to maintain aclearance between the face of the panel strut and the upper edge of thelower transverse casing of-the frame structure.

4;. In a folding wall seat of the character described adapted to fold upwithin a recess and to outfold in substantially horizontal extensiontherefrom, a panel back support foldable with the seat and hinged to thesame at the lower edge of the panel, spring means urging the upper endof the panel in a forward direction, means within the recess guiding andlimiting theforward movementof the panel and lockingthesame againstbackward movement when the seat isoutfolded.

5. In a folding wallseatof the character described adapted to fold upwithin a recess, a panel back resiliently hinged. to theseat and spacedtherefrom so as to .be adapted to automatically clamp a cushion betweenthe seat and back upon folding theseat.

EARLE'W. CUMMINGS.

